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July 02, 2005

80s Party Vibe

Once again I watched with the spousal unit PDiddy's new comedy showcase. It's almost impossible to imagine, given how he poses in this joint that he got his start as a dancer. Not that I've been watching any videos lately, but I'm fairly certain that the only rapper with any cred on the dance floor is Usher, and well, is he a rapper? If the death of R&B foreshadows the death of black dance music, we've got a bigger problem.

So right now I am listening to Tracie Spencer and it's about one of the very last vibes of the mid and late 80s. So I'd like to take a pause for the cause and bow my head in a moment of silence for the age when being a popular black muscial star meant you were serious about dancing and making music to dance to.


  • Nocera - Summertime Summertime
  • Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - I Wonder If You Take Me Home
  • Paula Abdul - Straight Up
  • RFTW - Oh Sheila
  • Orbit - The Beat Goes On
  • My Prerogative - Bobby Brown
  • Teddy's Jam - Teddy Riley
  • Hashim - Al Naafiysh
  • Aleem - Release Yourself
  • Twilight 22 - Electric Kingdom
  • Klymaxx - The Men All Pause
  • Cybotron - Clear
  • Zapp - I Can Make You Dance
  • Morris Day - Tricky

    • I guess I could go on and on until the break of dawn...

    Posted by mbowen at July 2, 2005 02:01 PM

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    Comments

    I don't recall the Hashim or Cybotron tunes. Maybe that was outside my sphere of influence. Funny thing is I am visibly a Cowboy, but my favorite music is Funk and old Dance tunes from the 80s. People get a little weirded out. I was the only Cowboy at the seal concert too.

    Posted by: Joel (No Pundit Intended) at July 2, 2005 06:46 PM

    The Al-Naafyish tune I recall was "It's Time." Others: "Pack Jam" and "Space Cowboy" (The Jonzun Crew), "Perfect Beat" and "Planet Rock" (Afrika Bambaata)

    Posted by: Lester Spence at July 3, 2005 12:10 AM

    You have to remember that the mid 80s were also about b-boys too. So my mid 80's jams are Run DMC "Sucker MC", forgot the group's name "Jam On It", Shannon "Let the Music Play" and Colonel Abrams "Trapped".

    Posted by: James Manning at July 3, 2005 08:03 AM

    I'd like to submit the b-boy jams of the mid 80s. I lived in Chicago so House music was big as well. Shannon "Let the Music Play", "Jam on It", Run DMC "Sucker MC" and Colonel Abrams "Trapped".

    Posted by: James Manning at July 3, 2005 08:06 AM

    OH! let the music play. How could I forget that? It reminds me of a very wild date.

    Newcleus did 'Jam On It'. "It's Time" is the same thing as Al-Naafyish (It took me the longest time to figure that one out).

    Also 'Radioactive' and 'Five Minutes of Funk'. Also the 'Flamethrower Jam' (Are you ready to throw down?) 'Mirda Rock'

    Posted by: Cobb [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 3, 2005 08:45 AM

    Jam On It can never be defeated. Wiki-wiki-wiki-wiki!!

    Posted by: avery [TypeKey Profile Page] at July 4, 2005 01:18 PM

    "Five Minutes of Funk" Reminds me of the Fresh Fest tours. Those were tigt - word.

    Posted by: James Manning at July 6, 2005 10:13 AM

    The music of my youth I LOVE nu wave elctro funk

    Posted by: ericd at July 12, 2005 06:26 PM